Apparatus for enabling long endless bands of flexible material to be circulated in reduced spaces



y 21, 1929- A. ROUILLER 1,713,921

APPARATUS FOR ENABLING'LONG ENDLESS BANDS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIALTO BE CIRCULATED IN REDUCED SPACES Filed March 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 21, 1929. A. ROUILLER 1,713,,9211

APPARATUS FOR ENABLING LONG ENDLESS BANDS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO BE CIRCULATED IN REDUCED SEACES Filed March 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 21,1929.

UNITED STATES ALBERT ROUILLER,

1,713,921 PATENT OFFICE.

or rants, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR EN A:BLING LONG ENDLESS BANDS OF FLEXIBLE MA IERIAL TO BE I CIBCULATED IN REDUCED SPACES.

Application filed March 5, 1926, Serial No. 92,464, and in France April 4,1925.

. This'invention relates to an apparatus for enabling a long endless band of flexible material to be circulated in a reduced, space, such for instance as a film for cinematographic 5 projections, both ends of the band being connected after its engagementin said apparatus. In this manner, the film coils and uncoils simultaneously after its passage in the projecting apparatus without the aid of 10 the rolling devices or stretching rollers generally used. The film circulates under a slight tension and consequently all wear and tear of the band, in the case of a film, caused by distortion of its perforations is avoided 15 and the life of the film. that is the number of projections thus made possible is increased.

According to the invention the apparatus comprises essentially a casing provided with passages for the entry and exit with feed rollers in which are placed horizontal rotary rollers in the shape-of a star provided with a spiral groove and having at the bot-" tom of the thread a circumferential velocity equal to that of the feed rollers in such a manner that when the system operates, the band coils without jamming in the shape of a regular spiral having a constant pitch.

' In order that thein'vention may be clearly understood, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Y

'Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross section of the apparatus and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan View.

Fig. '3 is a diametrical section of a preferred form of execution of the apparatus, the inner guides being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a part plan' view with the cover and the supporting screws removed.

, Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views on line AA and B-'B of Fig. 4 respectively.

As will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the ap.

paratus consists in a barrel a closed by means of a cover I) provided with bafiles ensuring the comparative air tightness of the interior. The band 0 which is provided with perforations at regular intervals enters the apparatus'by a very narrow passage d. An admission cylinder e provided with teeth corresponding to the perforations .in the band drives the latter in the passage. In the interior of the apparatus the lower end of the band rests on a certain number of screw threaded rotary rods 7. These rods have,

is pulled by a toothed cylinder 9 and passes through a tight passage h. The ends of the band are suitably joined together by, means of an adhesive for instance and it will beseen that after passing the position of use a first time the band returns to the entrance of the apparatus and the same cycle con-- tinues. I. The moving parts may be actuated by gear wheels driven by a device 71 ofany description. i r

In the preferred mode of execution shown in Figs. 3 to 6 the apparatus consists of a metal barrel a of aluminium for'instance uponwhich is adapted in an air tight manner a cover 6 provided on its sides with ribs, j for the fixing of the projecting 'apparatus. The cover b is provided in its middle portion with a depending bored bearing designed to receive an axis 7;- upon which are ke ed .a gear wheel 71 actuated by a pinion Z and an inner bevel gear 2' for transmitting said motion to bevel gears m. the axes n of which rotate on the one part in bearings formed in a ring 0 provided in the barrel, their back portion engaging on the other part the -teeth e and g, the original diameter of the toothed cylinders being equal to the diameter at the bottom of the thread of the screws.

This transmission may be "effected for instance as shown by means of toothed. plugs.

same manner the barrel a carries'a' boss (1 provided with an opening (1 in the direction of the serrated admission cylinder 6. A

point and causes it to bend slightly so as to part 9 provided with openings 9 opposite the teeth of the cylinder e guides on the other part the passage of the film at that' ensure a'thor'ough engagement of the teeth.

' The axis of this, device is mountedin a strap arranged as above indicated between the bar- 0' and is in contact with a spring ,5" so as to allow of a slight inclinationof the device in; the case. of aldefective travel of-the band thus avoiding its' destruction. As it. exits. the film first passes between a out p in sleeve 7) and the cylinder g, and then between the latter which draws it alongand a roller 9 similar to roller 9 and comes out through an opening b in cover J). The film -ca'ge relax-and the sleeve 12 carries a double row of rollers t upon which the end convolutions of the film are engaged and. slide.

Said rollers 2o'are' simply-mounted as will be seen in Fig." 5 uponaxes t screwed in the bottom of the frame 01 one of said rollers being carried when desired as shown in the drawing-upon the axis of part 9, 4

It will be evident that whenthe apparatus is inoperation, the film entering through passage d at willengage inside-the bottom of the-threads of the rotary screws'fi; It will thus move forward towardsith'e hentre,the direction of-the rotary movement of the'screws being suitably selected to this eifect, in suchza manner that it will coil without friction and; without jamming,

I 1When the film has been inserted in the receptacle its ends may be connected by an ad.-

hesive matter in such a manner that th e coil produced by the film is endless and that no handling'is necessary inorder to effect a new projection of said-film: The air tightness of the passages which is due to their small section will preserve the film against all danger of fire inside theapparatus. f 3

It will be understood that Ido not limit myself to the articular arrangement herein efore'spec' cally described or 'to the par-. ticular type'of apparatus shown in the draw:

ings and that for instance an. ap aratus m which the admission and exit cylinders are smooth. -and-lined with india rubber may be constructed without departing from the principle of my" invention this system being adaptedfor the endless unwinding of a nonperforated band; a 4 a 'Ha vingthus described my invention I de- 01 re that what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus for permitting the ac-' comodation andv free circulation of a long flexible endless wband including an' annular casing, an entry passage formed in'theouter wall ofsaid barrel, an exit passage provided j in the inner wall 0 same, two cylinders op- -posite said passages provided with means fir feeding the band,. an'd means provided in i said barrel for supporting the band and cup, means for rotating all rollers in the same causing it to coil'as a spiral-without jam- 'ming.

2. An apparatus-including a casing with inlet and outlet passages, serrat d inlet outlet feed cylinders, a device elastically of said cylinders and grooves in said device opposite the teeth of the cylinders designed' for guiding the engaged band and, means provided in the barrel for carrying the band and causing it to be coiled as a regular spiral.

3. An apparatus including a casing with airtight inlet and outlet passages, '21 toothed fee-d cylinder at the entry and at'the exit,

two guides for the band corresponding to said cylinders, screw threaded rotary rollers arrangedradially in the barrel, means to rotate said; rollers in the samedirection'relativel ".to the direction in which the band is fed in the'barrel and means forjimparting .to said rollers a ciiicumferential velocity at the bottom of the" thread equal to andin the J same direction as the yelocityimparted to the band bythe feed rollers,

4, An apparatus including a barrel casing, inletv nd' *oiitlet feed cylinders, carrying screw? the axes'of the'i'ollers'andengaging with said wheel,- intermediary toothed pinions carried upon the axes of a: pair ofsaid rollers'having the same diameter and-toothed pinions equal to the precedin and engaging with same upont e axes -o the inlet and outletfeed'cylinde s. 4 5; An apparatus including a barrel casing, inlet and outlet feed cylinders and rotary screw threaded cylinders in the barrel having a positive circumferentialvelocity inthe same direction as and equal to the ve- 'locity'imparted tothe band by the feedhaving a positive circumferential velocity in the same direction as and equal to the evelo'city imparted to 'the band by the feed rollers and vertical rollers mounted. freely on their axes'for the interior breaded rollers in the barrel, a middle bevel gear wheel, bevel gears mountedupon on their axes for the interior guidingof the J I i cylinders and guides opposite said passages, I screw threaded rotary rollers in. the barrel guidinglof the .end convolutions of'the liand. I

7. device 'for windin photographicg-or cinematographic film-ban s, comprising in combination a, number of horizontally and -.radially disposed rotar rollers bf like diameter'for supporting a lm-band to be wound direction andat a 'unifornispeed and form- 70 mounted on its vertical axis in the vicinity a in each rollerin which the individual windings of the spirally wound film-band rest and prevent the contact between the individual windings.

" 8. .A device for winding'photographic or cinematographic film-bands, comprising in combination a number of horizontally and radially disposed rotary rollers of like diameter for supporting the filmband to bc wound-up, a drum of the same diameter as the said rollers and provided with sprockets for engaging the perforations of the filmband and feeding the latter onto the said rollers, means for rotating-all rollers in the same direction and at a uniform speed and forming a spirally wound film-band and for rotating the said drum with the same speed as the rollers, and grooves in each roller in which the individual windings of the spiral- 1 wound film-band rest. and prevent contact threaded rollers on which a picture film is 7 between the individual windings.- 9.xApparatus comprising a. casing, inlet andoutlet toothed feed cylinders, screwsupported on its edge, said rollers mounted in said casing and havin a diameter at the bottom of the threads s11 stantially e ual to the diameter of the 'feed cylinders, an gears imparting to the cylinders and rollers substantially the same speed.

10..-Apparatus for winding photographic or cinematographic film bands, comprising in combination; 'a plurality of horizontally and radially disposed rotary rollers of like diameter for, supporting the film band, a

drum provided with sprockets fofengaging in perfor'ationsof the film band andfeeding the same onto the rollers, means for rotating all the rollers at the same speed and for rotating said drum at substantially the same peripheral speed as the rollers, and grooves in the rollers inwhich the individual windings of the spirallywound film band rest and prevent contact between the individual windings. 1

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

ALBERT ROUILLER. 

